Tea Time in the UpsideDown Manor
by LaceyBones
Summary: An original story by me. About a girl in a strange world.


**I wrote this story while watching Lady in the Water and drinking tea. So here is what could be considered chapter one, enjoy. And please rate.**

Tea Time at the Up-side Down Manor

This story is not about a princess in a tower, or a heroine with monster to battle. It is simply a story of a woman; her name is Lady Lily Garden Nevernever. Now for someone such as yourself, that probably sounds ridiculous, but to the people of her village, she is royalty. Not for her family or anything like that, but for her doll shop. She lives in a small cottage near town square, an adorable little house with bright little rooms. And owns a small shop with a pink roof and a leafy green door.

A woman who doesn't realize how strange her life is, or of her journey in life that will break under the hand of her children. . .

Morning light streamed through the bedroom curtains, which were a pale yellow with white flowers. Opening large blue eyes, Lady Lily stared at the ceiling of her little room. Then reaching over to blindly grab a pocket-watch off of her nightstand, her pale hand hit something cold.

There it sat. Staring at her. How it got there, she hadn't the clue. For you see, the object that was sitting on her nightstand was not there when she went to sleep, so she clearly wasn't the one to place it there.

'It' being a jar. A medium-sized glass jar, to be exact. And yesterday, was filled with homemade marmalade. But there is sat, empty. And there was a problem with that. She, you see, made that marmalade for her sickly sister, and she disliked it and thought it as horrid stuff that was terribly awful. But poor, poor Mary Ann loves it. And Lady Lily was going to take it to her this very day.

What a predicament she was in. Her sister lives in a cottage far in the forest, several miles from the town. All alone. With a garden in her yard, as well as a small, pet fox named Jessabell. And she would have no time in making anymore. Picking up the jar, she gazed through the glass. A horrible way to start a day indeed.

Standing in the small kitchen and starring out at her flower box at the window, birds chirped happily in the apple tree behind her house. In the cheery little kitchen, several cats lapped up milk from their bowl. She lightly pet one of the kittens, Dement, who was sleeping in her arms. His white fur was so soft. Like silk.

Waiting.

Waiting for the water to boil.

Rose tea in her favorite tea cup. Painted a pale pink with a silhouette of a rabbit. A gentle flavor. Which reminded her that she needed to pick the roses in the garden before the pesky alley cats got to them. Plucking a pair of garden shears from the kitchen table, she made for the door. Stopping, she glanced to the counter. There sat the strange jar, which hadn't been there a moment ago. Quickly picking it up, she placed it into the large pocket of her lace-trimmed apron and made for the door once more.

The red roses nodded their heads at her as she moved the shears towards them. _Snip_. In no time, she had a bundle of roses in her basket, as well as a few herbs, a bit of lavender, and several daffodils.

A small rabbit peeked out at Lady Lily from behind the willow tree. His pink watched me closely. Then a large raven landed on a branch above the rabbit. It too watched her. How strange she thought it was, to be so closely observed by the animals. The animals must have thought she was odd for looking at them, so the rabbit darted under the picket fence and the raven toke flight. Strange. Very, very strange. Lady Lily Garden Nevernever shrugged and toke her basket back into the kitchen.

After a warm bath, brushing her hair, and throwing her cats out of her room several times; she pulled on her black bell silhouette, poofed sleeved dress. She smiled sweetly at her reflection and quickly tied a black ribbon into her curly blonde hair. "Strange, my hair looks like wheat instead of marigolds today." Gazing up at the rows and rows of dolls on the shelves. One in particular caught her eye. One with pink eyes and blonde hair, paper white skin, and only in a simple white blouse and bloomers. "My goodness Thimble, come over here!" The doll shuttered and eventually stood.

Her dark red lips parted slightly, "Mother, have you finished my dress? It is quite chilly to be only in my undergarments."

Lady Lily delicately walked over to her sewing machine and picked up a miniature version of the very dress she was wearing. Down to the white lace trim. Thimble staggered over to edge of the shelf and waited for Lady Lily to walk over to let her down.

No one knows how Lady Lily gave Thimble life, but no one really questions it. They simply refer to her as Lady Lily's daughter.

Ms. Thimble's pink eyes stared at her new dress as her 'mother' put together the entire outfit; going through a trunk full of doll shoes and accessories. Pulling out simple black shoes, petticoat, a black ribbon, and simple knee length socks. Matching to Lady Lily's. "Mother, why am I still this small?" Her mother looked at her with a concerned look. "I mean mother, the other children of the village turn from little babies, to children, to young adults, to adults, to elders. But I am always the same." Always the same indeed, Thimble has been alive since Lady Lily was a small child, but Thimble did not know she was a doll. She thought to be a human, like her mother. But will be forever the way she is.

There was once an old, old woman who was a fine clothes maker, who prayed every day for a child. The day before she died, she gave birth to twins. Two beautiful white-haired girls, which were conjoined at the hip. Their names are Story and Writer. Even after their mother's death, the day after their birth, they toke care of themselves. And they were Lady Lily's very best friends.

It was in their shop, their mother's, which Lady Lily sat now. With Thimble on her lap. "Now hello there Miss Lady Lily Garden Nevernever, how has it been for you being all alone with that pesky child of yours?" Story said loudly, waving her hand around quickly, which caused her sister to almost drop the embroidery she was working on. "To the mighty heavens Story, control your actions, I am working." The fabric had beautiful red roses creeping up the fabric into what was an almost heart. Writer was much more mature then her sister, whom was like a child. Lady Lily stared at their dress, ignoring the argument. One side was made a fine pink fabric with ruffles of yellow lace, Story's side. The other was of black velvet with white lace, Writer's side. Thick grey stitches divided the sides.

The twins stopped and stared at Lady Lily. She starred the roses in a vase across the room. Her mind burst with inspiration, of a child. A boy, a brother for Thimble.

And here are the thoughts in her mind:

_Red hair . . . Blood red. . ._

_ With green eyes . . . Dark green, like ivy. . ._

_Clothes . . .armor, but like leaves. . . A sword made of a stem? _

_ No, of twisted vines. . ._

_ And his name will be . . ._

"Lady Lily Garden Nevernever! Awaken from your dream of day!" Story shouted, waving her hand around, disrupting her sister's work once more.


End file.
